I Will Always Love You
by Canon Archives
Summary: Rose has been keeping her relationship with Scorpius a secret. When she finally decides to tell her parents, what will Ron do? His reaction is not what everybody seems to think it is. Chapter 2: Scorpius meets the parents!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Ron is not an immature jerk. I repeat he is not** **a jerk! I was unhappy with all of the** **Rose/Scorpius stories that overdramatized his reaction, so I wrote a reaction that I think is more in character.**

**Thank you so much to Ashleopard, who is the wonderful Romione lover that helped me get this story down on paper!**

**Disclaimer: Harry Potter belong to JK Rowling, not me**.

Rose sat at the dinner table with her family, who was making lively conversation as usual. They had invited the Potters over since those were the cousins to whom they were closest. It was the first night of summer break after her sixth year at Hogwarts, so there was a lot of catching up to do. Normally Rose would be happy to join in with the carefree mood, but tonight she had said hardly anything. She was very preoccupied with what she had planned to tell her parents that evening.

"—and right as she shot the Quaffle over Boot's head," Hugo was saying, "James reached out and grabbed the snitch!"

"It sounds like a very exciting game," Aunt Ginny said, who had been listening intently.

Rose turned her attention to her other side, where James was speaking animatedly to Teddy. "Freddie says in three months we may have enough money to open another shop. Uncle George is more excited than any of us, I think."

"I'd be happy to help out if either of you need it," Teddy responded.

Rose slowly picked at her food as she overheard Al arguing with his little sister Lily. On the adult end of the table, she saw her mother laugh at something her father had just said and her Uncle Harry smiled as he watched his two best friends. It looked like the Golden Trio was remenicsing again. Whereas usually seeing the three of them together made Rose feel comforted and at home, now it only made her feel more nervous with anticipation.

"I'd like to say something," Rose said suddenly. It got most of the family's attention and conversation died down. Before she lost her courage, she took a shaky breath and announced, "I'm dating Scorpius Malfoy."

The table went deathly quiet. Rose's father gritted his teeth and his eyes hardened. Clearly he was trying his best to control his temper._ Here it comes_, Rose thought, preparing to defend her boyfriend at any cost.

Before he could start spewing insults, Rose's mother asked carefully, "How long have you been dating him, Rose?"

"Two years," she answered confidently.

That's when he exploded. "_Two years_?" Her father shouted, standing up. His eyes blazed.

"Ron," her mother warned, putting her hand on his arm.

Her father lowered his voice again but said furiously, "Rose Weasley. In the living room. _Now_."

Rose obediently got up from the table and followed her father into the other room. Personally, she was fuming. She reminded herself that she had no reason to feel guilty about this, and that her father had no right to judge Scorpius when he hadn't even met him. She had prepared every possible senario in her head and decided that it was best for her to set him straight before he started yelling. When he turned around—no doubt to start shouting— she began:

"I am not going to stand here and listen to you go off about how I shouldn't be hanging around with a Malfoy! Dad, you can hate Draco all you want but Scorpius is _not_ his father!"

"Rose—"

"No! I'm not going to listen to you, anyway! You can ban me from seeing him, ground me, whatever, but you can't stop me! I make my own decisions and I am not going to let your childish rivalry with his family keep me from being with someone I love! I know that all of your prejudices and grudges—"

"You love him?"

"—blind you from seeing someone for who they are — wait, what?" Rose stopped, realizing what her father had just asked.

"I said, you love him?" He watched her intensely, his eyes never leaving hers. Rose had definitely not prepared for this. He wasn't yelling. Was he... okay with it?

She looked at him with a the honesty and sincerity she could muster. "Yes," she answered. "More than anything, Dad."

Rose's father took a deep breath and sat down on the couch. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. He didn't move for what felt like forever, and Rose couldn't tell if he was thinking or trying not to have a complete and total outburst. Finally, he looked up at her, and his expression looked nothing but old and tired.

"Rose," he said. He didn't seem really mad. "I understand that you think I am prejudice towards the Malfoys. Well you're right. I am."

Rose felt anger swell up inside her. "Well then—"

"But," her father continued, not letting her finish, "I also know that you are a very bright witch, and your mother and I raised you to have good judgement. Because of that, I trust you when you tell me he is not like his father. I believe that you do love him, and therefore I am not going to try and stop you from seeing him."

Rose stared at him with a dumbfounded expression on her face. He wasn't upset? He wasn't going to disown her or swear never to talk to her again? She didn't even know how to respond she was so happy. After all her anxiety about having to tell him— it was such a relief! She let out a girly giggle and gave him a huge hug. "Dad, thank you! Oh thank you Daddy, so much!" She turned to go back into the kitchen but her father caught her arm and pulled her back.

"Not so fast, young lady. I am not done with you." He stood up and crossed his arms. "Just because I am allowing you to see him, does not mean in any way that I am not going to punish you."

Rose's eyes widened. "Daddy I—"

"Rose Weasley, I don't care what guy you're dating. It is completely unacceptable to go out with a boy for _two years_ without me or your mother having met him, let alone even being aware of him."

"I know I just—"

"Why didn't you _tell_ me?"

Rose suddenly felt extremely guilty and looked away. "I'm sorry, I... I was afraid you would be ashamed of me. I didn't want you to look at me like I'd betrayed you."

"Do you really think I wouldn't love you because of his family?"

Rose felt her eyes fill with tears. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I was worried that you wouldn't even give him a chance to prove himself. I didn't want to have to _choose_."

"Rose," he put his arms on her shoulders, "I am sorry if I ever did anything to make you feel like you couldn't trust me. But you will always be my daughter and I will always love you no matter what. Do you understand?"

Rose nodded, too choked up to speak.

"Good," he said. Seeing that she was close to crying, he wrapped his arms around her and gave her a tight hug. Rose was grateful for the embrace and dug her face into his warm chest. After a moment, he released her and looked her in the eye. "Now you are going to go to your room," he said seriously, "and send a long letter to this boy, telling him that I expect to see him tomorrow on my doorstep at three o'clock. I promise that I won't be judgemental of his family, but he had best behave like a gentleman in my presence."

Rose gave her father a bright smile which he returned with equal fervor. She turned to go up the stairs.

"Oh and Rose," her father said becoming solemn again. She paused. "You're still grounded. No leaving this house for three weeks."

**He's a forty-somethin-year-old dad guys, come on. You think he learned nothing from the war? We all know Ron's got a temper, but in all honesty, Hermione would never have married him if he hadn't learned to control it. She would never have fallen in love with him in the first place if he was the kind of guy who would lash out at his own daughter because of an old grudge! Anyway, I feel like he'd be mature and just deal with it, instead of dragging it out like it's the end of the world. Please leave a review and let me know of you like it!**


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So I wasn't planning to continue this, but this just sort of came to me. Now before you read it, just hear me out.**

**I know that there are a lot of people out there who adore Draco Malfoy. I am not one of them. I think that Draco is a very interesting character, but that does not mean he is a particularly likeable guy. And in my opinion, I don't think he really changed all that much after the war. I believe that he is still living under the influence of his father, and although Scorpius was not raised with beliefs of pureblood superiority, Draco's beliefs did not change. To me, there is a large gap between Scorpius and Draco, and it has distanced Scorpius from both of his parents. I tried not to be too harsh, but this is what I believe would happen from the Malfoy side of the rivalry.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. **

**Oh and FYI, this is from the kids POVs, so Ron and Hermione are going to be referred to as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Just so that there's no confusion.**

**Enjoy!**

At three-o'clock, Scorpius stood on the Weasley's doorstep wearing a simple sweater and kakhis, and he ran his hand nervously through his white blonde hair. It had sounded from Rose's letter that her parents had handled the news much better than his did. Scorpius shuddered, recalling the conversation he had had with his father.

_"Father," Scorpius said standing at the door to his office. "Father I'd like to speak with you."_

_"Just one moment, Scorpius," his father replied impatiently. He finished reading one of the papers on his desk and then rearranged the large pile. Sighing tiredly, his father finally turned to look at Scorpius. "What is it, son?"_

_"I have news," Scorpius said carefully. "I, uh, I have a girlfriend."_

_His father raised his eyebrow. "A girlfriend?" He asked. "Is she a pureblood?"_

_Scorpius tried to appear unbothered by the question, but he balled his hands into fists to control his anger. He took a breath. "No," he answered. "She is not. Her mother is muggleborn, her father is a pureblood."_

_"Hmm," his father responded, looking mildly disappointed. "I assume I will be meeting her soon. What is her name?"_

_Scorpius took another breath and tried to find his Griffindor courage. He looked his father in the eye. "Rose. Rose Weasley."_

_His father's face went cold and he stood up slowly. "No," he stated with finality. His gray eyes pierced Scorpius' threateningly. "I do not approve of my son associating himself with anyone in that family. You are to write her instantly and tell her you mustn't see each other from now on."_

_"Father—"_

_"No!" He shouted, his eyes blazing. Scorpius' father never shouted. "Scorpius, I would rather you date a _muggleborn_ than a Weasley! Now do as I say, and _do not _tell your grandfather about this."_

_"I will _not_ do as you say!" Scorpius shouted back at him. His father was taken aback by the challenge. "I do so much of what you say, but this is not your decision to make, Father. This is my life and I'll do what I want."_

_That got his father fuming. Before Scorpius could defend himself, his father had grabbed him by the shirt collar and pushed him into the doorframe. "You listen to me, Scorpius Malfoy. I have been extremely tolerant of everything you have wanted to do. I have allowed you to go to Hogwarts, despite the fact that you were sorted into _bloody_ Griffindor; I have allowed you to speak your thoughts freely in this household, which is more than I ever got. But you are the only Malfoy legacy and I am not going to let you destroy our family reputation by getting involved with those blood_ _traitors!"_

_"Don't call her that!" Scorpius shouted._

_"Oh yeah?" His father said with a sneer. "Why not?"_

_Scorpius struggled against his father's grip but he wouldn't let go. "Because I love her, Father!"_

_His father laughed humorlessly. "And what do you know about _love_, Scorpius?" _

_"More than you do, you coward!" He shouted angrily. "Let me go!"_

_Surprisingly, his father complied instantly. Scorpius adjusted his shirt and then looked at his father. He was glaring at him with a dangerously guarded expression. Scorpius remained in place, and father and son had a silent battle, like when a Beta wolf challenges the Alpha._

_"Get out of my house," his father finally spat. Giving his father one last infuriated scowl, Scorpius swiftly walked out with nothing but his wand and the clothes on his back._

Soon after leaving he had received Rose's letter. He dearly hoped her parents would like him, because he wasn't sure if he would ever be allowed to go back home.

Scorpius rang the bell and waited. He heard footsteps from inside and Rose opened the door.

"Scorpius!" Rose exclaimed happily. A bright smile spead across her face. "Come in, come in!"

He stepped inside the warm house into a cozy living room. It was not nearly as spectacular as the Malfoy Manor; the home looked very lived-in. There was a couch and two chairs with worn-down cushions, a faded rug, and a small shelf of books in the corner that had been loosely organized. Unlike Scorpius' house, which felt cold and empty, this house felt lively and inviting.

Rose gave him an enthusiastic hug and kissed him lightly on the lips. Scorpius put his hands on her waist. "How did your father take it?" She asked seriously.

Scorpius shook his head slightly. "Not well. I'll tell you later."

Rose gave him a concerned look, but before she could say anything her parents came in the room.

"Hello, Scorpius," Rose's mother said kindly. Scorpius released Rose hastily.

"It's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Weasley," he said taking her hand. He turned to Mr. Weasley. "And you, sir," he addressed him politely, and he gave him a firm handshake. Scorpius could feel his skeptical eyes analyzing him.

Rose's younger brother Hugo raced in behind his parents and smiled when he saw Scorpius. "Hey, Scorp!" He said.

"Good to see you, Hugh," Scorpius smiled back at him and gave him a friendly slap on the back.

"Please come sit down," Mrs. Weasley said, ushering him into the living room. "I made tea. Would you like any, Scorpius?" She moved into the kitchen while the rest of them gathered in the chairs around the fireplace. Hugo went upstairs to his room.

"Tea would be nice, thank you," he responded gratefully.

The unnatural politeness created a straining tension in the room, and Scorpius hoped that by the end of his visit that tension would have subsided at least a little. He wanted to make a good impression.

"So Rose tells us you have been dating for two years," Mr. Weasley said, cutting straight to the chase.

Scorpius sat up in his chair. "Yes, sir. Since the beginning of fifth year."

He nodded. Mrs. Weasley joined them in the living room with mugs and Scorpius took the tea, thanking her. "We were quite surprised at how long Rose waited to tell us," her father continued, "seeing as she seems quite serious about your relationship."

Scorpius glanced at Rose and she looked down. "We were unsure of how both of our parents would respond, sir," he tried to explain. "We are very conscious of how much our families have disliked each other in the past, and we did not want to create any further conflict."

"I see," her father said. Mrs. Weasley sat across from Scorpius and Rose, next to Mr. Weasley. "And what changed your mind?"

Scorpius paused and looked at Rose again. She gave him an encouraging nod and he answered honestly. "It was wrong to keep it from you," he admitted. "We both wanted to do the right thing, and agreed that no matter how you reacted, we wanted our families to know the truth."

Mr. Weasely nodded grimly in approval.

"We're glad you did tell us," Mrs. Weasley interjected. "I believe you are a good guy, Scorpius."

Scorpius let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. Rose smiled at him and he gratefully reciprocated it.

"Why don't you tell us a little bit about yourself," Mr. Weasley said, sounding more relaxed than at first. "Since it is likely we will be having you around quite a bit more."

After that the conversation became lighter, and Hugo came down from his room to join them. Rose's parents seemed very interested in what Scorpius liked to do and what he was studying. He could see where Rose got her sharpness after conversing with her mother about magical theory. Her father was excited to hear that he was on the Griffindor Quiddich team, and they discussed their favorite professional teams animatedly. Hugo was his usual self, shooting teasing insults at his sister every once in a while, and messing with some piece of muggle technology. He challenged Scorpius to a game of chess, and though the game was well matched, Hugo still won.

Scorpius really enjoyed spending time with them. The family gatherings he had known had never been filled with so much laughter and ease. Usually he only spoke with his parents when he had to, and it was a constant struggle to make conversation. It was just that Scorpius had always felt so different from both his mother and his father; it was probably the reason he was sorted into Griffindor instead of Slytherin. He knew his mother cared about him, obviously—but he also knew that she never genuinely wanted to hear about his life either; she only asked because she was supposed to. In response, Scorpius never felt the need to tell her much. He wrote from Hogwarts once a month. It was the proper thing to do.

His father, also, did not seem to care all that much about what happened at school. Scorpius had learned to never say "Griffindor," "Weasley," or "Potter" around him, because it put him in a crabby mood. As a result, it made it very difficult to tell him anything about what happened on a daily basis. Usually academics were a safe topic, but then again he was not particularly interested in potions like his father. It often felt like his father had high expectations for Scorpius that he was never quite able to meet. All in all Scorpius had never consoled in his parents for anything important to him, and he was careful about what he did say in their presence.

The Weasely household, on the other hand, was a fun and exciting place, and he felt comfortable in the same way he did when he walked into the Griffindor common room. There was a sense of security and contentment among everyone there. There was an openness and acceptance that made him feel like he could truly be himself. Rose often complained about how overprotective her parents were, but Scorpius didn't really mind it as much. It was a well-intended overbearing, which contrasted greatly with the controlling way in which his parents had raised him.

It was getting late, and Scorpius realized that he had been there for the entire afternoon. "Scorpius, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, "would you like to stay for dinner? I'm making chicken pot pie."

"I do not want to intrude on a family dinner, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh but I insist!" She responded. "And please, my name is Hermione. 'Mrs. Weasley' makes me sound old."

Scorpius smiled and agreed, and soon the entire family was gathered around the dinner table. Although Mr. Weasley seemed to have given his approval of Scorpius, he still seemed somewhat stiff. Scorpius thought that perhaps accepting his daughter's involvement with a Malfoy was more difficult for Mr. Weasley than he was letting across. Cursing his own father silently for making the family rivalry so much worse, Scorpius helped himself to the delicious food on the table.

"So, Scorpius," Mrs. Weasley— or Hermione, as she had asked him to call her— said. "Tell me about your mother. Do you think she might be interested in getting lunch sometime with me?"

Scorpius laughed bitterly. "Oh believe me, that won't be happening anytime soon."

His comment made the rest of the family go quiet. Scorpius stopped eating and looked between Rose's parents. He felt a nervous twist in his gut, and hoped he hadn't completely messed up the good impression he had been trying to give.

"Why not, Scorpius?" Mr. Weasley spoke with a slight edge in his tone.

"It's not that I don't think she'd like you," Scorpius tried to save himself. "I just highly doubt my father would let her."

The table remained quiet, and the tension from the very beginning of the visit instantly returned. It was the first time his father had come up since he had been there. Scorpius was highly regretting his words and wished he could take them back.

Rose came to the rescue. "You did speak to your parents as well, didn't you Scorpius?" She asked worridly. She said it pointedly so that her parents were aware of it, and Scorpius nodded in order to assure them that he did. "What did they say?" She asked gently. There was a trace of fear in her voice, and Scorpius wished he could give her some sort of reassurance. Unfortunately that was not the case.

"Well," he said carefully, "my mother was somewhat disappointed, though she understood that she could not do anything to stop me from seeing you, Rose." Scorpius paused and glanced at her parents again. They were both listening intently, and had unreadable expressions on their faces. "My father," Scorpius continued, keeping his eyes only on Rose, "kicked me out of the house."

Simultaneous gasps filled the room, and for a moment no one moved. Rose had gone pale, and Hugo was looking down at his food silently as though he were trying to blend into the chair he was sitting in. Mrs. Weasley looked absolutely appalled and Mr. Weasley appeared furious. He mumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'That bastard!'

Scorpius sat uncomfortably at the table, the food forgotten. No one seemed to know what to say. Finally, Mr. Weasley gained control of his anger and spoke softly.

"You left your own family because of my daughter?" He asked in awe. He was no longer looking at Scorpius skeptically or in disdain; he was looking at him with a newfound respect.

"Yes, sir," he answered quietly. He glanced at Rose again, and saw that her eyes were wet with tears. Scorpius took her hand across the table comfortingly and rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. A look of understanding passed between them and she squeezed his hand in a thank you. As long as he had Rose, Scorpius would be okay.

"It's just like Sirius," Mrs. Weasley whispered suddenly, exchanging a look with her husband. Scorpius and Rose turned their attention back to her parents.

Mrs. Weasley shook her head in disbelief, and then took his hand and looked him in the eye. "Scorpius, dear, we are not going to let you regret such a drastic decision like that," she told him determinedly. "You are welcome here whenever you need a place to stay, every summer and every break from school. I am so grateful that Rose loves you as much as she does, because you are a truly wonderful and strong person. And if... If your own parents don't see that," she said, choking up from tears, "then they are blinding themselves to something that could give them so much happiness. Thank you, Scorpius, for giving up so much. It means a lot to us."

Scorpius felt his own throat clogging from tears, and he swallowed hard. He was extremely touched. Although he had initially felt a little bitter towards Rose's parents for continuing such a ridiculous rivalry with the Malfoys, Scorpius was extremely comforted by such a generous offer. He had been somewhat conflicted, because a part of him felt like he was betraying his family by coming to the Weasleys. But when he looked at his own reality, he had no reason to feel any obligation to his family. The only person that had ever made him feel loved was Rose, and now her family was extending their own love to him a well.

"Thank you, Mrs. Weasley," Scorpius managed to say in a raspy voice.

Mrs. Weasley smiled gently. "It's Hermione, dear," she said and let go of his hand. She looked at her husband again and laughed lightheartedly. "My goodness, now I understand why Molly was so particular about that."

**Alright I think I'm gonna end it there! Thanks so much for reading you guys. Did you like it? Leave me a review to tell me what you think!**


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